Results 15,001-15,020 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Internet Safety (22 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Deputy will be aware that on Thursday 22 February 2018 the Government did not oppose a Private Members Bill introduced by Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire which sought to establish an office of a Digital Safety Commissioner.  Following the second stage debate, the Bill was referred by the Dáil to the Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (22 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today, almost 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. This will increase to nearly 8 out...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (22 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: Decisions made by private telecommunication operators relating to the deployment of infrastructure to provide high speed broadband services throughout Ireland, are undertaken on a commercial basis by competing service providers operating in a liberalised market. The telecommunications market in Ireland is regulated by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, Comreg. I have no...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Heat Incentive (22 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (formerly known at the RHI) was approved by Government in December 2017. The details of the scheme, including the tariffs that will apply, are published on my Department's website. My Department is engaging with the European Commission regarding the necessary State Aid approval for the scheme. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (23 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location.  The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today, almost 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. This will increase to nearly 8 out...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (23 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today, almost 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband.  By 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will have access to a high...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (23 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Energy White Paper presents a long-term strategic vision that is intended to guide the direction of Irish energy policy from now until 2030. It identifies the long-term strategic importance of diversifying Ireland's energy generation portfolio and largely decarbonising the energy sector by 2050.  It does not set out targets or preferred ratios for specific renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cyber Security Policy (23 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is a unit of my Department, has been engaged in a series of actions around assisting Government Departments and State Agencies in preserving the security of their networks and data for a number of years. A key component of that work has involved building technical capacity and situational awareness as to trends and developments around...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (23 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I have no plans to amend section 15 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, either in response to the 2011 recommendation from the Environmental Protection Agency Review Group or otherwise.  Notwithstanding the Review Group recommendation, I am not satisfied that a basis exists to support a proposal for amendment having regard, in particular, to the potential implications...

Questions on Promised Legislation (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: That was about wind turbines and we sorted it out.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Data (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 to 187, inclusive, together. Packaging statistics are compiled in Ireland by the EPA in accordance with the EU Packaging Directive.  In accordance with that Directive, we are obliged to report by tonnage on the following packaging types: Glass, Plastic, Paper and Board, Metals and Wood.  In the most recent statistics compiled by the EPA, 282,148...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal Charges (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The fee structure of the company in question is based on the principle of producer responsibility and is designed to ensure that the cost of recovery of packaging waste is spread on an equitable basis. The key elements of that principle are that responsibility is shared across the supply chain and that producers contribute to national recycling in accordance with the amount and type of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Litter Pollution (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The fee structure of the company in question is based on the principle of producer responsibility and is designed to ensure that the cost of recovery of packaging waste is spread on an equitable basis. The fees collected are designed to contribute to national recycling rates in accordance with the amount and type of packaging they place on the market. The fees do not fund litter clean up...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: Local authorities are responsible for keeping public places that are under their control, including public roads, clear of litter as far as is practicably possible. This includes arranging cleansing programmes, as well as providing and emptying litter bins. Each local authority must prepare a litter management plan for its area, setting out its objectives to prevent and control litter, along...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 193, inclusive, together. I recently wrote to the European Commissioner with responsibility for the environment to welcome the EU plastics strategy. I assured him Ireland fully embraced the ambitions of the new strategy. I asked the Commission to focus, in particular, on the most difficult non-recyclable plastics such as soft wrapping, film and single...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Legal Cases (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Chief State Solicitor’s Office (CSSO) is a constituent part of the Office of the Attorney General and provides litigation, advisory and conveyancing services to Government Departments. These services are funded from the CSSO’s budgetary allocation, which is voted annually by Dáil Éireann. My Department also procures external legal advice in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Offshore Exploration Licences (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 196 together. In advance of the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round, the Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment 5 process was undertaken by my Department and included consideration of potential environmental impacts which may arise specifically as a result of petroleum exploration activities.Any exploration activity proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Pollution (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: Ireland’s national ammonia inventory does not include emissions from manures or slurries originating in Northern Ireland.  Neither my Department nor the Environmental Protection Agency collects statistics on the volumes of manure or slurry crossing the border.  However, I understand from my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, that his Department...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (24 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The 2014 Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) sets out the Government’s policy for the sustainable development of our abundant offshore renewable energy resources. Under the OREDP, Exchequer support for research, development and demonstration of ocean renewable energy (ORE) technology has been increased. Between 2014 and 2017 capital funding of €17.7 million was...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management Regulations (29 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: While regulation of the scrap metal industry or the second hand precious metals industry is not a matter within the remit of my Department, the regulation of waste activities is, of course, relevant to the industry. Such activities require authorisation in accordance with the Waste Management Act 1996 and depending on the authorisation required, these activities are controlled either by the...